Sandpaper holder and manipulator



Aug. 22, 1950 T. K. LOVEJOY 4 2,519,486

SANDPAPER HOLDER MANIPULATOR Filed Sept. 24, 1948- 4 FIG. 6

. 8 II I 1 /9 ll "I II I l I INVENTOR l5a 15 TYLER K. LOVEJOY A T TORNEVS Patented Aug. 22,, 1950 2,519,486 SAfiiiIMiiER iiKSIZ-DER ANDMKN'IPULATOR T-i le'r "K. liiivijiiy, Hastings, Minn, assignor to *Lovj6yBi'oduct's;Incl, Hastinga li Iinnmareorporation of Minnesota "am-shaman see-seam 24; 1 94s, SerialNo. 50391 1 be'e'rrut z'ed' to i ei-hforce and distend a strip eiinpleyifiexpensive but highly 'efficierit sandpaper "holdr aii'cl i'nan'i'pulator which through simple .i ii'ap actio'ri ooniiectionme'aiis"between a pair of clampin 'bloc-ks; i iables a strip of sheet abrasive to be readily installed or rem'oved and which fiiihis'hes positive I "clamping action a'g'ainst the tiirnea nds of a sand a er stri to positivel i'tajin th'e strip flush "against the manipulating *blok 'and to preventslack in the strip during use -=of the device.

Anethe'r object is the provision of a two-part saridpa'per' blcck comprising a 3 pair of superimpose"cl""blocks or platesconne'c'ted together by a simple mechanism which when'eX-tended'by forcing 'the "blocks a-part longitudinally, shifts "the.v

relation-of th'e'blocks'tofacilitate application of --a-"strip "of' shet abrasive to the outer surface of one of-said blocks with wrapping about the ends of said blocks and which further, through 's'nap action-of the'connection mechanism and resilient -=-ineans,' forces the opposing clamping surfaces of said block's together-to ti'ghtly retain the ends of the abtasivestr ip.

rhese and other objects and advantages of my invention -'will more fully appear from the folloivin'g'ifesriiption niade in connection with the *acitzom'panyin'g-'drawings wherein like reference characters-refer 'tosim'ilar parts throughout the several views "and in which:

Fig 1 is a pers'pe'ctive' "view of an embodiment fnv'entio'n with a strip of sandpaperappli'ed theretc for iis'e upon a surface to be abraded; #Fi'gSQ isa longitudinal seetiontaken onthe line zi of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar longitudinal=section showing sunk.

"the blocks spaces a'part for aemevai orap liea- 'tion of a strip of -"sheet a-orasive thereto, "the Fig. i is a htiii'zo'ritahsection taken on the line 4'-'4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectien taiien o'n tlie Jine S S 'o'f-'Fig.-'=3;' arid :Fi 6 isa"side elevationehowing a somewhat different forin 'of invention adapted -for 'anually employing an abra'siVlefihet-UMD a dragile article.

in 'both 'io'fiiiis of the invention -i'11ustra tem I 'I provide =a' pair of substantiallv s'imilar cooperating, rectangular blocks indicated as entirties' by the nuin'erals 3 and 9, the upper bldck 8 preferably' being rdunded at its-edges for comfort 'of the user. Both' blocks as "shownfiare provided with rectangular central ices'ses 851. and 59a respectively in the opposing iacestheretif in*which the attachment portions "of' 'aipeciuliar connecting link are adapted t'o'ibe seated and counter- The remainder 0f th'e opposed orfiinner faces of blocks fi and 'B are preferably planar and "provide opposed clamping-portions "8b and9b' adjacent the' ends -thereof. The blocks -'may be'=constructed' of any "suitable rigid 'or semi' rigid inateriarsuch as" woodpfiber coinposition,raplastic or rubber, ormetal.

The lower block 9 *as' show'n, is provided with -a prong-carrying plat'e which conforms genefially t'o the'loweri'ecessfla andis preferably somewhat sh'orter "than s'aid recessg saidvplatethaving .up-

turned terminal portions prbvidixi'g sharpened prongs illrvwhich areadapted ==t'o pierce the ends abrasive S which -'is w'i'apped snugly "'about the outer or lower "face'of block 9 withi'tsends folded closely against the ends and corners-of bldck ll.

The 'two cooperatingblo'cks" 8 fajndi are connected together "to provide clamping pressure therebetween against -the turned "ends of the sandpaper stripaln'd 'further to provide spaced 'relationbetween the blocks "to facilitate attachm'eiit andreinoval ofa strip of "flexible sheet abrasive.

My 'nove1"'conn'ction mechanism as shown, comprises a toggle 1irik"l'lin'the"form of a fiat plate adapted to be'snugly collapsed in parallel relationship to'the'opposed'faces of the blocks within recesse's ila "and 9a,"saidtoggle l'ink havirig --1atera11y extending fiat hin'g'e pinuesl l a'a both "ends'th'er'e'of. :I hefpintle's '-l laiaie 6f 'elong" ea, 55 oblong'cros's 'section tb cooperate'with tiie curved resilient fingers l2a and I So of upper and lower attachment plates l2 and [3 respectively. Plates I2 and I3 have flat attachment portions centrally apertured as shown, to receive a securing element such as a nutted bolt M. The head of each of the bolts used is preferably countersunk in the outer surface of the respective block and the nut [4a is applied to the inner end thereof and in the case of lower attachment plate l3, also passes through the prong-carrying plate I to anchor the same in operative position. The attachment plates 12 and I3 are identically formed although reversed in position in their application to the two blocks 8 and 9. They are preferably formed, each from an integral rectangular piece of somewhat resilient material, as shown, the piece being slit from one end thereof along parallel lines longitudinally of the piece to form a central tab I2b or [31) as the case may be and to provide the curved resilient fingers l2a and l3a respectively. Said fingers are convexly curved to extend somewhat above the attachment surface of the respective pieces or plates and are sprung outwardly from the attachment portions when the flat hinge pintles of the toggle link H are swung from the collapsed position of link plate II to the erect position shown in Fig. 3, being tensioned by such swinging and exerting a snap action dead center principle upon the pintles and the link II when the blocks 8 and 9 are pushed together from the position shown in Fig. 3.

My novel connection mechanism for the cooperating clamping blocks utilizes therefore, a

linkage structure having terminal portions which are hingedly connected to the respective blocks 8 and 9 along parallel axes transverse of the blocks and provides for spacing of the blocks as shown in Fig. 3, to apply or replace the abrasive strip. It will further be noted that due to the specific form of connection, the overlying relationship of the blocks is shifted longitudinally, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, causing one set of the piercing prongs Illa to be completely uncovered. It further will be noted that in the spaced or open. position of the blocks, the upper block may be tilted on the upper pintles Ha of the toggle link plate as shown in dotted lines, to provide a greater angular relation and space between the blocks at one end thereof, thus facilitating attachment of the strip to the prongs at that end.

In attaching a strip of flexible abrasive material, the blocks are merely pulled apart by grasping the longitudinal edges thereof, causing the toggle link I l to assume the positon shown in Fig. 3 with the hinge pintles disposed in substantially dead center relation with the resilient fingers Ma and I311. The strip of sandpaper or other abrasive, cut to proper length, then is folded snugly and creased about the bottom surface of the lower block 9, then folded snugly against the upper transverse edges of block 9 and one of the ends of the strip superimposed over two of the prongs I la, usually secured at the left hand end of the block as shown in Fig. 3, with the upper block 8 tilted as shown in dotted lines, to afford more space for manipulation. The upper block may then be tilted in the opposite direction and the opposite end of the strip of sandpaper, tightly snubbed against the right hand end of the lower block 9 and impaled upon the other pair of piercing prongs Illa.

Thereafter, the two blocks may be pressed together producing a snap action byfpassage over d ad cen er of the two sets of hin ed pintles Ha. In such action, the tensioned resilient fingers 12a and Ba urge the flat pintles to extreme collapsed position, thereby applying a strong clamping pressure between the two blocks 8 nd 9 with the result that the opposed clamping portions 8b and 922 at the end portions of the two blocks press tightly against the inwardly bent ends of strip S and firmly secure aid strip independently of the prongs Illa.

In use of the sandpaper holding and manipulating structure, the strip S is always held flush against the bottom and ends of the lower block and will not slip or become slack with use since it is secured by efficient clamping action at both ends of the strip as well as by the penetrating prongs.

In Fig. 6, a somewhat different embodiment of my invention is illustrated for particular application to the sanding of the surfaces of fragile articles. In a number of States, of the United States, the law requires that the shells of eggs be abraded to remove foreign material clinging thereto. The form of my invention shown in Fig. 6 while applicable to other purposes, is particularly well adapted for manual abrasion of egg shells. To this end, the lower block 9 is provided with a pad l5 constructed of compressible cellular material such as sponge rubber and preferably having curved or rounded ends l5a. Pad 15 may be secured to the underside of block 9 in any suitable manner as by a cement or bonding material. In this form of the invention, the flexible abrasive sheet is superimposed below the compressible and preferably resilient pad and the ends thereof secured in the manner previously described.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and highly efiicient flexible abrasive holder and manipulator which enables a strip of abrasive to be readily installed and removed and which furnishes positive clamping action in addition to holding of the strip through penetration prongs, preventing slack from occurring in the strip during use of the device.

It is further apparent that with my improved structure and the close cooperation between the novel connection between the blocks and the blocks and attachment brackets for my linkage, the blocks never need be disconnected for attaching a strip of material and that they will be shifted longitudinally in releasing the clamping pressure to facilitate removal or attachment of the abrasive strips.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. An abrasive strip holder and manipulator having in combination a pair of cooperating blocks having opposed clamping surfaces adjacent the ends thereof and mechanism for connecting said blocks together to provide clamping pressure therebetween and to also provide at will, for spaced relation between said blocks, said mechanism comprising a connecting structure adapted to be collapsed between said blocks and having terminal portions pivotall connected to the inner faces of said blocks for swinging on parallel axes transversely disposed of said blocks and means for urging said connecting structure into a collapsed relationship with said blocks to thereby force the opposing clamping surfaces of said blocks to ether.

2. An abrasive strip holder and manipulator having in combination a pair of cooperating blocks having opposed clamp'mg surfaces adjacent the ends thereof and mechanism for connecting said blocks together to provide clamping pressure therebetween and to also provide at will, for spaced relation between said blocks and said mechanism comprising a fiat toggle link having its ends pivotally connected to the inner faces of said blocks for swinging on axes transversely disposed of said blocks and for collapsing between the opposed faces of said blocks and means for urging said link as said blocks are pressed together into said collapsed relationship to thereby force the opposing clamping faces of said blocks together.

3. An abrasive strip holder and manipulator having in combination a pair of cooperating blocks having opposed clamping surfaces adjacent the ends thereof and mechanism for connecting said blocks together to provide clamping pressure therebetween and to also provide at will, for spaced relation between said blocks, said mechanism comprising a flat toggle link having hinge pintles at the terminals thereof of elongated, oblong cross section and a pair of hinge attachment brackets, one secured to the inner surfaces of each of said cooperating blocks and comprising an attachment element and a resilient curved finger connected therewith serving as a fulcrum for one of the hinge pintles of said toggle link and adapted to retain said link upright in dead center position with said blocks spaced apart and to urge said blocks into clamping relationship when said link is swung past dead center relation.

4. An abrasive strip holder and manipulato having in combination a pair of cooperating opposed members forming a body, said members having opposed clamping surfaces adjacent the ends thereof and mechanism for connecting said members together at their medial portions to provide clamping pressure therebetween and to also provide at will for spaced relation between said members, said mechanism comprising a connecting structure adapted to be collapsed between said members without interference to the clamping action of said opposed clamping surfaces and having terminal portions swingably connected to said members for swinging on parallel axes, means for urging said connecting structure into a collapsed relationship with said members to thereby force said opposing clamping surfaces together and one of said members having strip-penetrating prongs adjacent its clamping surfaces and disposed materially outwardly of the position occupied by said connecting structure in collapsed state for positioning and retaining the ends of the strip prior to said clamping action.

5. An abrasive strip holder and manipulator having in combination a pair of cooperating opposed members forming a body, said members having opposed clamping surfaces adjacent the ends thereof and mechanism for connecting said members. together at their medial portions toprovide clamping pressure therebetween and to also provide at will for spaced relation between said members, said mechanism comprising a connecting structure adapted to be collapsed between said members without interference to the clamping action of said opposed clamping surfaces and having terminal portions shiftably connected with said members for providing tilting and collapsing of said connecting structure relative to the opposed face of said members, said connections for said terminal portions providing means for urging said connecting structure into said collapsed relationship when said members are initially urged together from predetermined spaced relationship whereby said opposing clamping surfaces are forced together.

TYLER K. LOVEJOY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,417,356 Feild Mar. 11, 1947 2,438,977 Rosemeyer Apr. 6, 1948 2,443,399 Paul June 15, 1948 

